unconfirmed reports, tornadoes south of stillwater, oklahoma. that's about an hour north of oklahoma city. the state of oklahoma, of course, still reeling from an ef-5 tornado that laid waste to the town of moore last week killing 24 people. at the moment we have not heard reports of injuries or damage from today's outbreak. that's it for me. i leave you with wolf blitzer and much more on the oklahoma storm. thanks very much. we certainly will. also happening now a poison letter scare over at the white house. was president obama targeted with deadly ricin? and food safety fears as the chinese company buys america's largest pork processor and of course the breaking news we're following -- tornado warnings up in ravaged parts of oklahoma. we're on the ground and chasing the storms. i'm wolf blitzer. you're in "the situation room." let's get to breaking news right now. in oklahoma which of course is still reeling from the tornado

disaster that tore through the town of moore just ten days ago. severe weather once again churning across the region. right now people are being warned, take cover. cnn meteorologist and severe weather expert chad myers is on the ground for us in oklahoma right now chasing the latest storms. chad, first of all, tell our viewers where you are and what you're seeing. >> reporter: wolf, imin purcell, oklahoma on a special system called live view. we'll have a long delay, about three or four seconds as we talk but this is brand new technology. we can get very good video from the field. we are not a satellite truck. behind us here is the storm we've been watching all day. the great part, on the left, that hang down part, that's the air that is rapidly rising into the storm itself. that is where a tornado would form if there was one on the ground right now. we have a great deal of this. we are way out of the way. no one is in any danger. we have a lot of lightning in

this storm. as i take a look up to the point just to the northeast of the cell here i can see a green tip to the storm. now, think about this. think about the green tip that you see when you look at an old time coke bottle. that is the same kind of refraction you would see from a hail stone. when you see a green storm you know there is hail in it. we do know there is hail falling out of this storm in the norman area. the good news is earlier today we thought moore and norman were in the path of the rotation. it appears this storm really went to the northeast or went to the east rather and that will eventually move the storm across purcell, across the river, across i-35 and away from norman and moore as we take a look at the rest of the day as this storm kind of moves off to the east, a slow trip, about 20, 25 miles an hour. >> at least moore, oklahoma which was so destroyed, big chunks of it only last week, is that free and clear right now?

>> it is free and clear of the rotation, of the tornado potential, but not free and clear of the wind damage nor the hail. when you're north of the storm, that's what the hail is. south and southwest of the storm is where the rotation potential, the tornado is in a super cell thunderstorm. moore, especially norman, that hail is falling out of the storm. we do know this is going to have some hail damage in the norman area likely for the rest of the night at least for the next half hour to 30 minutes. >> we'll stay on top of it. very quickly, this is no longer just a tornado warning or tornado watch. there is actually a tornado or some tornadoes on the ground. is that right? >> that's to the north of oklahoma city proper or northeast and that area, purcell, will eventually see that and northeast of there on up toward still water. those are not the storms we're chasing. the storms we're chasing are south of oklahoma city. those are the ones that will

eventually potentially go into oklahoma city itself. now we're in good shape but it is going to be a long night for people here. more storms are developing to the west, wolf. >> chad is watching what's going on. thanks very much. we'll stay in close touch with you and of course when we get images and word of an actual tornado on the ground in the populated or maybe not such a populated area we'll go back to that story and keep up the pictures all the time as well. there is other news we're following in the situation room. for the second time in as many months the president of the united states possibly targeted with a deadly poisin. officials have intercepted a letter addressed to the white house similar to threatening letters sent to the new york city mayor michael bloomberg and others by someone with an ax to grind over gun control. those letters initially tested positive for what is ricin. our national political correspondent jim acosta is over at the white house. what are you hearing and what is the latest? >> white house officials say

president obama was never in any danger in that he has been informed about this latest suspicious letter that was addressed to the president. for now law enforcement officials do believe that letter is connected to two others sent to new york city mayor bloomberg and a bloomberg pro gun control group and there was a clear threat of violence. federal investigators say the suspicious letters started coming in last friday. the first addressed to new york mayor michael bloomberg intercepted at the city government's mail sorting facility. three days later, another letter opened up at the d.c. office of bloomberg's pro gun control group, mayors against illegal guns. then within the last day a similar letter addressed to president obama was also flagged as suspicious and seized and an off site screening facility used for white house mail. but according to a d.c. police report, the director of the mayors against illegal guns actually opened his letter. the report says that letter contained a whitish orange substance on a note with a threatening message. authorities believe all three

letters are connected with no return address or senders' name the envelopes were postmarked shreveport, louisiana. investigators say two of the letters to bloomberg and the mayors against illegal guns have initially tested positive for ricin, the potentially deadly poison made from castor beans. a law enforcement official tells cnn the writers in those letters threatened you will have to kill me and my family before you get my guns. anyone wants to come to my house will get shot in the face. the right to bear arms is my constitutional, god given right. i will exercise that right until the day i die. >> my son alex was killed in aurora, colorado. >> reporter: an apparent reference to bloomberg's long running campaign for new restrictions on firearms. >> the letter obviously referred to our antigun efforts but the 12,0 12,000 -- we won't walk away from those efforts. >> reporter: for now investigators don't believe the latest suspicious letter case is connected to the ricin tainted

mail sent to the president and mississippi gop senator roger wicker last month or another case just last week in washington state where fbi agents arrested a man accused of sending a ricin tainted letter to a federal judge. one law enforcement official says it appears copy cats are at work adding some people are getting bad ideas which is why the white house has long had its own special screening facility. >> there have been long established procedures and protocols. any time a suspicious powder is located in a mail facility it is tested. and i would underscore that the mail is screened. the mail sent here is screened and that these tests are undertaken at remote sites to mitigate the risk both to those recipients and to the general population. >> for now investigators are not saying whether this latest suspicious letter sent to the president initially tested positive for ricin. that letter along with the others have been sent off to the joint terrorism task force for further investigation and analysis but we can tell you, wolf, mark glaze with the mayors

against illegal guns is doing just fine according to that organization. >> a lot of other organizations are looking out for these kinds of letters as well. let's hope there aren't any others out there. jim acosta, thank you. some disturbing images in our next story. a grieving father displaying pictures of his dead son killed while being questioned about his ties to the boston bombing suspects. the family is speaking out and they are demanding what they call justice. they want an fbi agent and two massachusetts police officers to be charged and tried. we have details on the very latest. what's going on? >> wolf, the father has plans to come to the u.s. to pick up his son's body. so far he has only seen pictures of it and he says those pictures raise serious questions. holding photos of his son's body he had harsh words for the fbi. >> translator: at the moment, i want justice and i want there to

be an investigation. so that these people are tried under american law. these are not fbi agents but bandits. i cannot call them anything else and they must be tried. >> reporter: it's been more than a week since ibragim todashev was shot and killed in his orlando home while being questioned about his relationship with dead boston marathon bomber tamerlan tsarnaev. a source briefed on the investigation told cnn last week two massachusetts state police officers and a boston based fbi agent were interviewing ibragim todashev when he grabbed a knife prompting the shooting. >> translator: it's absurd. there were four or five armed, well trained people from the fbi or police. couldn't they handle my son? >> reporter: another law enforcement official briefed on the case tells cnn thursday he turned a table over and went after the agent doing the questioning. the agent went on to say whether ibragim todashev had a weapon or not there was concern he could have grabbed the agent's gun.

ibragim todashev's family as well as an attorney for the council on american islamic relations believe he was not armed and want to know exactly what happened. >> we received confirmation that he was in fact unarmed when he was shot seven times once in the head. the best claim they have is there was a decorative sword in the room somewhere. my question is if they really thought that sword was a threat why would they interrogate a suspect that they thought committed murder in the room with what they perceived to be a weapon. >> reporter: it is said ibragim todashev implicated tamerlan tsarnaev in a 2011 triple homicide in massachusetts during the questioning. that source also said ibragim todashev confessed to having a direct role in the crime. >> this is absolutely not true. they can even check the phones and everything. there were not conversations. they were not texting 24/7 to each other. maybe once in a couple months they sent a text message how are they doing but that's it. >> reporter: an fbi internal review team has been investigating and looking into the circumstances of the

shooting since last week. that team of investigators is made up of members of the fbi and the department of justice. the fbi says they'll be taking a good look at the evidence to determine if the use of deadly force was justified. wolf? this investigation will take? >> reporter: well, wolf, the fbi isn't saying but we're told this review process is thorough and objective and conducted as expeditiously as possible. that was their word in a news release. wolf? >> when will ibragim todashev's father be here in the united states? >> reporter: he told reporters in russia today he hopes to get a u.s. visa by tomorrow to fly here and take his son's body home. but he didn't give us a sense of how soon that will happen. >> alina, thanks for that report. we'll stay on top of this story as well. up next, furl owed federal workers discover a loophole that lets them collect unemployment benefits in some cases with the government's help. new severe weather in

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with looming furloughs stressing federal workers some are turning to unemployment benefits to help balance their checkbooks. >> i can't afford to give any more. i don't have it. i don't have it. >> alicia st. john a civilian electrician at a philadelphia navy yard says pay freezes and family obligations have drained her bank account. and now budget cuts are squeezing her last dime. >> they don't feel the effects. of losing a hundred dollars. it makes or breaks my day, my month, my year. every cent counts for us. >> congress and the white house have failed to reach a deal and federal government employees are being basically the whipping boys. >> reporter: unemployment benefits were not an option because the 11 days st. john will be forced to give up are scattered throughout the summer. but now her union the international federation of professional and technical engineers has negotiated a deal with her employer that will

allow her to take the days in one-week blocks and thereby qualify for unemployment. you'll get something. you'll still have your wages cut but your wages won't be cut as dramatically. st. johns stands to lose $1400. she'll get back $500 if she collects unemployment. money that is paid out by the state but would be paid back by the federal government. this practice is raising eyebrows. >> making arrangements to receive unemployment benefits seems to defeat the purpose of sequestration. the idea of sequestration was to save taxpayers money. >> reporter: the u.s. labor department has all but endorsed this practice, providing guidance on its website. quote, while on furlough federal employees may become eligible for unemployment benefits under the unemployment compensation for federal employees program. it wasn't supposed to come down to this. but sequestration kicked in. washington is still talking about ending it. >> i'll keep cutting those

foolish across-the-board budget cuts known as sequester. >> reporter: the union has also negotiated deals in new york, oregon, and nebraska. unclear though how many people could take advantage of this because furlough arrangements differ from agency to agency and unemployment rules differ from state to state. but the labor department has warned that some states could be bogged down, wolf, by these kinds of claims. >> amazing how creative some of these opportunities are out there for federal workers. thanks very much. when we come back a dire warning about the deadly new wave of violence exploding across iraq. we have details just ahead. and a new gig for the hero turned internet sensation who helped free amanda berry from a decade in captivity. coming up you'll find out what charles ramsey is up to now and that could earn him thousands and thousands of dollars. we're also following tornadoes. take a look at this. pictures coming in from oklahoma right now. once again oklahoma right in the

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back to chad myers out in purcell, oklahoma right now. these pictures, chad, they are so ominous looking. tell us the latest. >> you know, this storm just about 20 minutes ago was nothing, wolf. and just in that time it had a rapidly rising, just a suction spot right off the ground where

all this scud was coming up into it. this is not a tornado. this is a rapidly rotating wall cloud. just so we'll go through all the steps. this could be the first thing. the precursor to a tornado but this is the part of the storm that would tornado. this is on the back side of a super cellular tornadic storm where the tornado would be. to the northeast of your -- northeast of purcell there is hail coming down. back where we are there is just wind moving straight into this cell. this is where people get a little bit more confused. if you were over the other side of the hill you would not know this was not on the ground. you would just think there is a large wedge tornado on the ground. we're so close, less than a mile away, we can see there is nothing coming out of the storm. there is certainly hail, certainly wind damage, but not a tornado on the ground yet. it's just moving over i-35. quickly moving over the river and then away from and north of purcell and there go the tornado sirens just now in the city of

purcell. we do think as this continues to rotate and circulate and get stronger as it continues to get stronger the past 20 minutes a tornado could fall out here at any time, wolf. >> let us know what's going on. we'll check back with you and continue to follow this storm. chad is on the scene in purcell, oklahoma. up next why news organizations including cnn are now boycotting a meeting with the embattled attorney general eric holder. big thing, isn't a thing at all? it's lots of things. all waking up. ♪ becoming part of the global phenomenon we call the internet of everything. ♪ trees will talk to networks will talk to scientists about climate change. cars will talk to road sensors will talk to stoplights about traffic efficiency. the ambulance will talk to patient records will talk to doctors about saving lives.

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ground tracking yet another round of severe weather. the pictures right now very, very ominous. i'm wolf blitzer. you're in "the situation room." the embattled attorney general eric holder is sitting down this afternoon with members of the news media to talk about the justice department investigation into leaks that led to subpoenas for reporters' phone records and more. cnn and other news organizations are declining to attend the meeting because it is, quote, off the record. let's dig a little bit deeper right now with our chief political analyst gloria borger. gloria, you've been speaking with people close to the attorney general. what are they saying to you? what does he hope to accomplish? >> look. these sessions as you know have become controversial because news organizations including our own and the "new york times" and the associated press don't want to sit down with the attorney general in the middle of a controversy in an off-the-record session that has been announced

publicly. that would mean our bosses couldn't talk to us about what the attorney general was saying. now, in their defense, i spoke with reid weingarten today, a long-time friend of the attorney general, who understands his thinking on this and he is also an attorney himself. this is what he said, wolf. he said, this session we're talking about is not about eric holder giving his defense. this is a policy discussion. eric has been instructed to do this by the president. he wants people to sit down and roll up their sleeves. this is not a charm offensive but substancive. his point is we've got lots of guidelines that are decades old governing the question of leak investigations, spying, etcetera, and these are things that need to be looked at. so his point is what the attorney general wanted was sort of a working session to get

input from the press not do a mea culpa before the press about the problems he's been confronting with them. >> as you know congressman darrell issa had an interesting exchange with eric holder the other day at a house committee hearing about releasing records. >> right. >> listen to this. >> mr. attorney general, knowing the to and from -- >> i'm not going to stop talking now. you characterized something -- >> mr. chairman, would you inform the witness as to the rules of this committee? >> -- is too consistent with the way in which you conduct yourself as a member of congress. it's unacceptable and shameful. >> all right. so obviously he's got -- the republicans have issues with eric holder. >> he's had a lot of issues with the republicans. >> but more from the democrats as well. >> nothing like republicans. there's been a long standing problem between eric holder and the republicans in congress. some of his friends say to me he's actually been surprised at the vitriol but it goes back to

try 9/11 conspirators in new york and fast and furious and now you have this. the question and the big problem eric holder faces is on the democratic side. there are lots of democrats i talked to who are very unhappy with the way the justice department has handled these leak investigations. they're hold tlg fire. no democrat is coming out and saying eric holder should resign as have republicans. once you start hearing top democrats questioning the justice department, that's going to really affect eric holder's standing with congress. what we need to be looking at is how democrats continue to react. could have a big problem there if it continues to escalate. thanks very much. let's continue the conversation right now with george washington university law professor jonathan turley. also our cnn senior analyst

jeffrey toobin. is it appropriate for eric holder to be in charge of the review of the justice department the way it conducted all of the news media leak issues, for example, since he's right in the middle of it and a lot of people are saying that is inappropriate for him to be investigating in effect himself? should he recuse himself? >> i don't see any reason for him to do that. this is a policy question. this is an issue that the president of the united states said, look. i care about leaks. i want leaks investigated and eric holder has been investigating them. the issue isn't as far as i understand some sort of improper conduct. it is whether we should have a policy of investigating leaks in that way. this is justice department issue. he is the head of the justice department. i don't see any alternative to him running this policy question analysis. >> the argument republicans make

and i'll bring jonathan in, the argument a lot of republicans make is he supposedly at least misled if didn't lie to congress in sworn testimony on the issue of the fox news reporter james rosen whose records were monitored if you will. >> that's right. i have to disagree with my friend jeff and i do think it is grossly inappropriate for the attorney general to be asked to do this meeting. this meeting, itself, is a bit of a spin. i think it is designed to give cover for the president. this is not a difficult question and they shouldn't have done these investigations in this way. they shouldn't have gone on a fishing expedition against the associated press. they shouldn't have called rosen a possible coconspirator to a crime. those are bright lines that existed and they were blown away by this administration. you have an attorney general accused in the very least of being misleading and possibly lying before the committee. i'm not ready to say that he did lie.

but he's also an attorney general who said that he doesn't recall he had any role in the rosen matter. that appears to be untrue. he's also an attorney general whose role in monitoring and supervising this department on this critical issue is under attack for good reason. i mean, what happened in this case, it's not that there's never been such investigations but this, the breadth of this is truly breathtaking. >> jeffrey, respond. >> well, i think for jonathan to say this is an easy question, is just wrong. there is such a thing as classified information, which means it's a damage to national security to release it. we have a sort of informal system in place here where there some leaking is tolerated, some leaking isn't. i think the reference to james rosen who is a distinguished reporter and historian who works at fox news was terrible. but it's very hard to make rules that allow for both legitimate investigative reporting and

prohibiting disclosure of classified information like went on with bradley manning, which i think is completely beyond the pale. i mean, i think the rules are very hard to defin who makes those rules. >> i have to really disagree. no one is questioning the right of this administration, past administrations to investigate leakers. they've done it. they're very aggressive. they have used the espionage act, twice the number of times as prior presidents. there has always been this practice, this understanding that you don't go and seize information from reporters, because of the critical constitutional role they play in the protection of liberty. they showed absolutely no concern, in my view, over that line, over those that, protective role that the media plays. but the idea that holder is the only person who could hold this

meeting is rather strange. you can throw a stick in any corner and hit 20 high ranks justice officials in downtown d.c. i think he's in charge of the meeting to give him and the president cover. >> the president did ask eric holder to review the entire media issue as far as these leak investigations are concerned. and that's why -- and the president said he was going to meet with news media executives. now a lot of these news media executives don't want to meet with him because it's supposedly off the record, and they want it to be on the record. who's right in this? >> the news media's right. it's an and durd idea in the midst of a controversy to have it suppose lid secret. you know in 15 minutes any way, we're going to know precisely what was said anyway.

so i have no idea what the justice department was trying to establish by making this off the record. that's really a sideshow as to the issue of what are the rules? when is leaking criminal? when should it be actively investigated? and when should we let the press do its job? i think it's a difficult line to draw. jonathan himself said it's been sort of an understanding, but it hasn't been an actual rule. that's a hard question. this off the record meeting was just a silly idea from the start. >> wrap it up, jonathan. >> no one's questioning that these leaks could be crimes. i've represented folks in the area. the question is how you investigate the crime and whether you need to show restraint. there's no evidence of restraint here. there's no evidence of an appreciation for how serious this conduct was for this administration. >> a good serious discussion that will not obviously be going away. my own sense, by the way, if these meetings are on the record as a lot of people believe they should be, have a tv camera in

there as well and then everybody can watch the, change between the attorney general of the united states and the news media executives. a pool camera inside a meeting like this would be educational, i think, for all of us, and it would be a sign of transparency. just ahead. intervention in syria's civil war. two top senators are at odds over what the united states should do. plus, an american mother cot in the crossfire in a war over drugs. we gave people a sticker and had them show us. we learned a lot of us have known someone who's lived well into their 90s. and that's a great thing. but even though we're living longer, one thing that hasn't changed much is the official retirement age. ♪ the question is how do you make sure you have the money you need to enjoy all of these years. ♪

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the battle over whether or not to arm the syrian rebels is heating up here in washington. senator john mccain has been one of the strongest proponents of providing the opposition with weapons, and this week became the highest ranks elected official to meet with them inside the war zone. he said this in an exclusive interview with our own anderson cooper. >> we can identify who these people are. we can help the right people. is there some risk involved? absolutely. but is the status quo acceptable? >> but others in senator mcca mccain's party don't agree. rand paul writes this. it is very clear that any attempt to aid the syrian rebels would be kbri catesed and take

russ because we don't know who these people are. who's right here? would it be senator mccain or senator paul? >> i tend to think senator paul has the better arguments in this case. it is generally more kbli catesed than anyone realizes. joshua landis estimates that there are 1,000 separate militias operating inside syria working against the government. in other words, you would be giving arms to one group, but they might be working with other groups. they might get themselves defeated by other groups. because remember, even if we give the arms, the goal here is to topple the assad regime. once that happen, there will be two separate battles that takes place after that. then the people who support assad will probably get massacred. and then there will be the fight mock these groups, among these 1,000 militias as to who comes

out on top. so we might know who the good guys are, but will those weapons stay with the good guys? will they even be alive at the end of this process is this. >> there's been a lot of buzz out there that two of the syrian rebels that senator mccain posed with when he was briefly in syria the other day were actually involved in the may 2011 kidnappings that were going on in lebanon, to which mccain's office put out a statement, i'll read it to you. a number of the ear yans who greeted senator mccain asked to take pictures with him. ands always the, the senator complied. if the individual photographed with senator mccain is mohammed nour, that is regrid abable. were they terrorists? were they kidnappers? it's hard to know the good guys from the bad guys, if you will, inside syria.

>> think about it this way. you went to iraq. i went to iraq. during the iraq war, after those 2004, 2005, 2006, there were 180,000 for be american plus troops and we still couldn't identify who the good guys were, we weren't sure whether the shiites were operating with the support of the baghdad regime or which. we couldn't tell which sunnis were allied with al qaeda and which ones weren't. years and years of incredibly active effort. what i think is disingenuous here is that people like senator mccain say we should be involved. we can figure out who the good guys are. but we're not going to send any troops there. we're going to to this all by remote control with a no-fly zone, lob a few missiles maybe. that seems highly unlikely given what we learned from iraq. >> if you take a look at the situation in iraq, despite the

enormous sacrifice that we made, millions spent, and you see the bloody civil war that's going on there right now, an alignment between the shiite movement and you say was that worth it, all of that u.s. blood, sweat and tears for what? a lot of people are asking that. by the way, congratulations. this sunday, five years, he will have been on the air right here on cnn. a fifth anniversary for you on cnn. a good five years. thank you so much. you've got a long way to go if you're going to catch up with me. his show airs 10:00 right here on cnn. when we come back, china will pay billions for a majy us

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chicago mayor rahm emanuel has landed on the cover of the new issue of "time" magazine, with the headline, chicago bull. mayor rahm emanuel is fighting both crime and failing schools, so why are people mad at him. joining us to talk about it, "time" magazine's editor. why, rick, are people mad at the

mayor? >> well, they're mad at him, wolf, because he's taking on a lot of vested interests. he just last week announced the closing of 50 public schools. that's the largest number of public schools ever closed in an american city. so he's getting protests from the teachers' unions, from parents who feel that he's depriving their kids of an education. he's taking on the unions at the airports. so he's making a lot of enemies, which as we say is probably a good thing for mayors to do. >> he's a fascinating politician. those of us who have covered him over the years, back when he worked in the clinton white house. but what made him so fascinating to you and the other editors of "time" magazine? >> the thing is about mayors, they're at the front lines of politics. where policies meet potholes. what he's doing is bringing his washington experience, which is a policy-making experience with that old bare knuckles chicago style and trying to make some

changes. he would argue as he says in the piece that the previous mayors going back 10, 15 years, that it yielded bad education graduation rates, higher crime rates. so he's taking on a lot of vested interests to combat those things. >> how much is he up against? all of us remember the daley years in chicago. he's got fierce opponents right now. >> he does have fierce opponents. as our writer says, you know, neither of the daleys ever crossed a teachers' union picket line. rahm is doing that now. >> rick, thanks very much. good article by david, by the way, in the new issue of "time." i recommend it to our viewers out there. >> thank you, wolf. china pays billions for a major u.s. port company. what it could mean for hot dogs, or for ham on your dinner table. stand by. and in our next hour, an

american mom jailed in mexico, accused of drug smuggling, telling her story first to cnn. what she's saying at this critical point in her family's desperate battle to save her. an afternoon of storms continuing right now in oklahoma. we're tracking the live pictures. pictures. stand by. with angie's list, i save time, money, and i avoid frustration. pictuyou'll find reviews son home repair to healthcare written by people just like you. you want to be sure the money you're about to spend is money well spent. angie's list -- reviews you can trust. have hail damage to both their cars. ted ted is trying to get a hold of his insurance agent. maxwell is not. he's on geico.com setting up an appointment with an adjuster. ted is now on hold with his insurance company. maxwell is not and just confirmed a 5:30 time for tuesday. ted, is still waiting. yes! maxwell is out and about... with ted's now ex-girlfriend. wheeeee! whoo! later ted! online claims appointments. just a click away on geico.com.

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nearly 40. nearly 400 people have been killed just this month. here in the u.s., no doubt you remember charles ramsey, the hero turned internet sensation who helped free amanda berry from a decade in activity. he's about to hit the speaking circuit telling his story for $10,000 a pop. the cleveland dishwasher signed with a celebrity speakers bureau who purportedly said it was captivated with interviews he did right here on cnn. ramsey has become famous for his animated one-liners in recounting berry's rescue. >> mary, thank you. you may not know its name, but millions of americans certainly eat its products every single day. now, a giant u.s. pork producer is changing hands, bought in a multi-billion-dollar deal with a chinese company. ray marsh is looking into what this means for american consumers. what are you finding out, renee? >> the company paid nearly $5 billion for the united states

company, which calls itself the largest, the world's largest pork processor and hog producer. just to give you an idea, last year alone, they processed more than three tons of pork. now, china is in line to own the company. that has many advocacy groups, even some lawmakers wondering how safe of a deal is this for american consumers. there's a good chance the hot dogs on the grill and the ham in your sandwich comes from virginia based smithfield foods. they're the company behind several popular household brands like armor, and now it's the largest u.s. company to be sold to a chinese firm, a deal worth nearly $5 billion. but the potential ownership by a chinese company has consumer advocates uneasy. >> one, is it going to send the prices up for pork. secondly, are there food safety implications? because as we know, the chinese have not had a stellar record when it comes to food safety.

third, we've got american jobs here. the chinese have in general a dismal record on food safety. and adding antibiotics to foods. >> reporter: the company is assuring customers saying, quote, smithfield is dedicated to providing good food in a responsible way. it's not just pork, the chinese are gobbling up u.s. companies. there have been 650 deals worth more than $25 billion in america since 2000. that's according to advisory group rhodium. the colored states on this map show how prevalent these transactions have become. one analyst said consumers should not be worried. these deals are good business. >> now, those investments are increasingly flowing from china to the sufficient, which opens up a lot of opportunities in terms of local jobs, local tax revenue. that's why a lot of mayors and governors are starting to go to

china to promote this investment. >> well, there are some checks and balances to ensure that these transactions do not jeopardize u.s. economic or security interests. until this transaction gets the green light from the federal government, still not a done deal. but of course, wolf, we'll be following it. >> keep us up to speed, rene. thank you. happening now, new tornado fears, gripping oklahoma, only days after that monster twister barreled through. we're watching the skies. and the forecasts right now. president obama right now also appears to be a target in the latest poison letter scare. we have new details on the ricin tainted threat sent to new york's mayor. stand by for that. an american woman jailed on drug charges in mexico, tells cnn she's not a criminal, she's making her case in court, and in a new interview. i'm wolf blitzer. we want to welcome our viewers in the united states and around the world. the world. you're in "the situation room." -- captions by vitac -- www.vitac.com

breaking news right now. more severe weather in oklahoma. a warning to residents to take cover, as possible twisters move through the plains. it's been a day of tornado watching and warnings in parts of the state of oklahoma, including the area devastated by a killer storm less than two weeks ago. cnn's severe weather expert, chad myers, is on the ground for us in oklahoma. he's joining us on the phone right now. these pictures, chad, they are so ominous. >> you know, it has been a day that i haven't seen the awe of mother nature in a long time, wolf. it's been a while since i've chased in oklahoma. to see mother nature at its best or worst, depending on your point of view. the storm has left a few people with damage, but really as bad as it looks, when this storm was in chickasha about 2:30 this

afternoon, they hit areas that already had tornadoes this month, we dodged a bullet as it turned to the right and didn't put anything significant on the ground. it really didn't have the organization. now we're chasing a new cell that has new rotation down near duncan and marlow in oklahoma. we'll be there probably in about 15 to 20 minutes. as it gets closer to paul valley. we'll keep you advised of this tornado, at least warning, if it does produce a tornado on the ground of the remember, warnings can mean on the ground, but that usually means if it's coming to your town, that means tornado emergency. that's the next step up. that's a new step up. that's only a couple of years old. tornado emergency is even worse than tornado warning, and warning is obviously worse than watch. now we have three steps. but this warning could put down a tornado down south of oklahoma city, but not in the metro area it sell. down around paul's valley, ardmore, in that area. we'll keep you advised. it is now the biggest storm in oklahoma. although tulsa is about to get some very big hail into the

town. if you're in tulsa, it would be a good idea to get inside, get your pets enside, maybe the car. take precautions for that kind of a cell. >> i know you're chasing these storms, chad. what kind of a vehicle are you in? >> we're just in a regular vehicle. we're in a ford expedition, that's why we're staying so far away. yesterday it hit us with penny sized, maybe nickel sized hail. i'm surprised all the glass stayed in the car. it was amazing to see how much hail was on the ground. at times it looked like we were driving on a marble game. just like ball bearings all across the roadway. it came down very hard for at least 20 minutes. there was very little damage. it was in a farm area south of woodward. now we're worried about the paul valley area, where it's more populated than the oklahoma panhandle yesterday in western kansas. >> you'll be there in about, what, 15 minutes? >> i will say we will arrive on the cell in about 25 minutes there, yes.

>> we'll check back with you. update us and let us know what's going on. chad is on the scene for us in oklahoma. a state he knows well. he used to work there. people in oklahoma are not the only ones experiencing severe weather this afternoon. a bad line of bad-looking storms is stretching from arkansas, illinois and wisconsin. let's bring in samantha moore in the cnn severe weather center. what's going on out there, samantha? >> like you said, millions of people could be affected, as this area of low pressure moves to the east. there's the upper-level low right here. the frontal system stretching out. along that frontal boundary, we have tornado watches lined up from wisconsin down through illinois, missouri, arkansas, over into oklahoma, and even parts of northcentral texas. this cell is getting ready to hammer tulsa. so when chad was just talking about bringing in very large hail, potentially, some gusty damaging winds, as well as the possibility of seeing a tornado,

right now it's a severe thunderstorm warning. we'll let you know if that changes. even if there's not a tornado, we could see some big-time damage from hail and gusty winds. southeast of chickasha, south of norman, this is the system that chad is going to intercept, going down i-35 toward paul's valley right now, we do have a tornado warning on this particular cell, vozooming in closer, you can see the doppler indicated rotation. as the cell moves off to the east, people affected, around 6,300 hundred. the tornado in effect until 5:30 local time. if you live in the path of the storm, especially if you live anywhere from katy to i-35, you need to take cover. the cities of bray, 5:25, it should be moving into your area. purdy, 5:29. elmore city, around 6:11. once again, this is a dangerous storm systemhat could do some real damage here tonight.

do take cover if you live in this area. back to you, wolf. >> good advice, samantha. we'll, of course, stay in touch with chad as well, update our viewers with any new information coming in. there's another breaking story we're following right now here in "the situation room." an american woman reportedly killed by pro-government forces in syria. brian todd is here. what are you learning, brian? >> wolf, according to syrian news reports, they're saying this woman was killed in the northwestern syrian city of identificationl idlib. she was killed alongside at least one other woman who is a british national. we have the name of the american, and have spoken to one family member, but are not identifying her until all family is notified. a michigan's driver's license of the woman believed to be the american. the u.s. state department has issued a statement saying, quote, we are aware of the case, as we do in all such cases, we

are working through our check protecting power in syria, to obtain more information. and we appreciate the efforts of the czech mission on behalf of our citizens because of privacy considerations, we're unable to comment further. we can also say cnn has contacted british officials in london, so far we've not been able to verify through them the british woman's identity, wolf. obviously this is kind of a different breed of story as far as we're concerned now. but with an american woman apparently being killed in syria. alongside a british national. >> brian, thank you for that report. up next, the feds, they are investigating a suspicious letter to the president in a widening poison letter scare. an american woman's fight to get out of a mexican jail. she's telling cnn how she thinks she was framed. an emotional interview coming up. i want to make things more secure. [ whirring ] [ dog barks ] i want to treat more dogs.

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we're following the latest bad, really bad weather in oklahoma, other states in the plains area. you're looking at these live pictures coming in, our own chad myers is heading toward one of the areas right now. that potentially could see a tornado. look at these ominous, ominous clouds hovering over this area. we're going to update you shortly. stand by. the situation obviously not good. other news we're following, including a new poison letter scare, now reaching the white house. federal authorities say they have seized a suspicious and potentially very dangerous letter to the president of the united states today. they seized it at an off-site facility. we were told it was similar to ricin-laced letters to michael bloomberg and head of the gun control group he fund the right here in washington. the story broke yesterday at this time in "the situation room." we're getting new details as well about the letter to the president, and the threatening message to mayor bloomberg. our national correspondent,

deborah feyerick is joining us from new york. what is the latest, deb? >> wolf, we can tell you the fbi joint terrorism task force is fanning out looking for the individual or individuals who sent these letters. the letters are frightening not only because of what they contain inside, but also because of the threat they make. the anonymous ricin-tainted letters contain an ominous warning. what's in this letter is compared to nothing what i've got planned for you. three letters sent to three men at the forefront of the gun control debate. president obama, new york city mayor michael bloomberg and head of his gun control group. he threatened to shoot anyone who tried to confiscate his or her guns. quote, you will have to kill me and my family if you want to get my guns. anyone who wants to come to my house will get shot in the fairs. i will examiner my right until the day i die. >> in the text of the letters

themselves, and the greeting in the letter it just says you. we're assuming the letters are the same, from the same machine, or computer. >> reporter: police say at least two of the letters contained an orange/pink oily material, within which were traces of ricin which is derived from castor beans. all were sent to the analysis center. investigators scrubbing every last detail contained in the envelopes trying to figure out who sent them. letters to the president and mayor were intercepted at offsite sorting facilities, with mail workers trained to handle suspicious levels. mark glaze sent a message to friends saying he's fine and can't comment. the mayor's letter was opened friday. on-site tests prove negative. it was not sent to the national lab until wednesday, when ricin tests came back positive. >> they were transported, the

material to the police lab. he said that he had some symptoms with his eyes watering. >> now, the mayor's office says that the envelope found in new york was put in a special biochemical containment box, it was then removed by special hazmat units. the mail facility is now being cleaned, scrubbed down. but clearly, very frightening as investigators try to sort out who sent these letters. >> very frightening indeed. deb, thank you. authorities, they are clearly scrambling to figure out who sent those ricin tainted letters. brian todd has more on this part of the story. >> wolf, there's no return atress, no name on these letters. but according to law enforcement officials and experts, there are some clues to start with, that authorities can use to start tracking who sent these letters. with three letters and post marks from shreveport,

louisiana, how will law enforcement set out to catch the ricin mailer? we asked cnn contributor tom fuentes. >> they'll determine if they can identify someone actually putting the letters in the mail system. if that's possible through either surveillance cameras at postal facilities or some other method. as far as the paper, the letters, the envelopes, obviously they'll be looking for any kind of dna, fingerprinting, body fluid, you name it. >> profilers will be on the case, fuentes says, and they'll have the wording of the letters as a clue. the letters to new york mayor michael bloomberg and mark glaze say in part, you will ha of to kill me and my family before you get my guns. anyone wants to come to my house will get shot in the face. what's in this letter is nothing compared to what i've got plapd for you. >> from the nature of the wording, the actual expressions used, the grammer used, they'll

be trying to identify by age but maybe a region where that person may have grown up, and obtained their language skills. >> as for their intended targets, mark glaze opened his letter right here next to his office in washington on sunday. now, a police report says he opened it, saw the threatening message, then dropped the letter onto a bench and called police. dplaz didn't want to go on camera with us, but so far he does not feel the effects of ricin poisoning. an expert is with me now. amy, if he handled this stuff, only externally, is he in danger? >> well, the problem he would have is if he ended up rubbing his eyes, or touching some food and then eating the food, chances are that would be the way that he would ingest some of whatever was on the letter. >> how easy is it for a layperson to make ricin? >> a layperson can grow a castor plant in their backyard. they can pick the castor beans. and they can certainly grind

them up to create castor mesh. what you can get is about 5% strength. >> she said that's enough to harm an adult. now, for some perspective, she says if ingested or inhaled, a pinpoint size stronger dose of ricin could severely harm or kill an adult. if you don't ingest or inhale the risks are much lower. it's not as dangerous, we have to point out, as anthrax which can harm you with simple exposure to the skin. >> what are the symptoms of ricin poisoning? >> experts say you tend to feel nauseated, faint of the they say ricin blocks the metabolic processes in the body. some of your systems could shut down as a result of this kind of poisoning. what you've got to do if you suspect you've handled ricin, wash every part of your body that might have come in contact with it, wash your clothes, just get completely cleansed of this. >> no chances indeed, brian. thanks very much. cnn has now spoken exclusively with a u.s. woman accused trying to smuggle

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terrible traffic accident in new york state. mary snow is joining us from new york. she's got more on this and some of the day's other top stories. mary, what do we know? >> such a horrible tragedy. seven people died when their minivan was hit by a trailer that had come loose from an approaching truck.

four children are among those killed. it happened yesterday evening near syracuse, new york. investigators are trying to figure out what caused the trailer to detach from the truck. massachusetts general hospital has released the last of the 31 victims it treated after the boston marathon bombings. the 34-year-old said he feels happy and positive even though he lost one leg, may lose the other and has shrapnel near his heart. the fight over joe paterno's legacy is suing the governing body ncaa. they said they rushed to judgment and flawed investigation into child molestation allegations against paterno's one-time assistant coach, jerry sandusky.

you may still have to go through a body scanner at the airport but it won't be the kind critics complain is so revealing it amounts to a virtual strip search. it removed all 250 of the more revealing kind of scanners. there are hundreds of scanners still in use. but they have a different technology. wolf? >> good to know. thank you, mary for that. an american woman jailed in mexico, tells cnn how she thinks she was framed. stand by for her exclusive interview about the drug charges and her ordeal, and her husband also is speaking out right now as well. a disturbing new edition of al qaeda's online magazine focusing on the boston marathon bombings. [ male announcer ] need help keeping your digestive balance in sync? try align. it's the number one ge recommended probiotic c" that helps maintain digestive balance. ♪ stay in the groove with align. ♪ need help keeping your digestive balance in sync?

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happening now, a mother jailed in mexico, breaks down in tears, talking to cnn exclusively about her nightmare. we're now hearing from her husband, and we have new video that may be crucial to her case. plus, a high-powered new

business adventure to market marijuana like cars or soup, wait until you hear who's behind it. al qaeda rubbed salt in boston's wounds, with a cruel look at the marathon bombings in its online magazine. i'm wolf blitzer. you're in "the situation room." there are new developments in the case of the american woman jailed in mexico, accused of smuggling drugs during a bus trip. cnn has seen videos of the woman getting onto the bus. we're also hearing from her husband. our senior latin american affairs correspondent is on the u.s. side of mexico. what is the latest, rafael? >> this is probably the most dramatic day in the trial against her. i just returned from the courthouse and i was one of a

handful of journalists who had an opportunity to watch a video that the defense attorney says it's going to be crucial in the case. the video that i watched shows both maldonado and her husband gary boarding the bus in mexico, carrying only a purse, two blankets and two bottles of water. why is this important? because if what the prosecution says is true, namely that they boarded the bus, somehow carrying packages of marijuana weighing six kilos, that video demonstrates that was not the case. we did not see any packages that would in any shape or form be big enough for that amount of marijuana. now, i had an opportunity to get reaction from the husband, gary maldonado, right after that evidence was introduced in the proceedings. and this is what he had to say.

>> just to visit family. we were going to vis ut our family on this side. but i didn't want to take the vehicle because we found out about the funeral late at night. we thought, we're too tired to drive our own vehicle. and i had already done a bus trip once and felt the bus company could get us there safely and back. we never thought that this would ever happen. >> wolf, gary maldonado said previous times they had driven to mexico to visit his wife's relatives. this time around, they decided to take the bus, because they thought it would be safer, only to find out later that that would get them in trouble, because they were stopped on the way back and charged with trafficking marijuana. wolf, back to you. >> you know, you also had a chance, rafael, i know, to go

ahead and speak with this woman inside that jail in mexico. tell us how that came about, and what happened. >> wolf, it was a very emotional interview. we were the first cameras allowed in the state prison in nogales, mexico. we were able to sit down with yanira maldonado. she said she's innocent and can't wait to get out. she was emotional from the moment she saw us. escorted into the prison administrator's office to be interviewed. >> i'm not a criminal. this is not right. i need to be with my family. i need to be out of here. >> reporter: maldonado and her husband were returning by bus from the funeral of her aunt

when mexican soldiers stopped the vehicle at this checkpoint. passengers were taken off, and the bus searched. the soldiers said they found several packages of marijuana under her seat. 5.7 kilos, more than 12 pounds. and she says, asked her to pay $5,000. >> it's a lie what they're saying. and they say they found something under my seat. but i never saw anything. they didn't show me anything. it's just amazing all what they did. >> reporter: maldonado said authorities did not make it clear at first that she was a suspect, but she knew she was in trouble when federal agents started questioning her husband and her. >> i was in shock when they said that it was me they wanted. because first, they said that it w was -- it was my husband. >> reporter: taken into mexican federal custody, she was transferred to this state prison last friday, where she's being held in a temporary cell, away from other inmates.

family members have been allowed brief visits. >> now, your husband, gary, and your children are going to be listening to this. and watching you. what do you want to tell them? >> that i love them very much. that i'm innocent. >> reporter: that belief is held by a mexican state official with extensive knowledge of the case, who told cnn it would have been almost impossible for her to carry that much marijuana onto the bus without someone noticing. >> they have cameras in the terminal in the bus. and they haven't checked that. why they don't check for fingerprints, i don't have -- my fingerprints are not on the package, or whatever they're saying that they found. >> reporter: maldonado says she has not been mistreated, but she's rethinking the advice given to friends about traveling to mexico on vacation. >> i used to tell people, come to mexico.

it's not true what they're saying. i go every year to visit my family. and look what's happening to me now. >> reporter: all this devout mormon can do now, she says, is pray. now, this is what's going to happen next in the case against yanira maldonado. mexican law only gives the federal judge in charge of the case two options. one is to formally charge her with drug trafficking charges. the other one is to let her free. now, she must decide this before 6:00 p.m. tomorrow. that's the deadline. so wolf, the family right now says they're feeling cautiously optimistic that freedom is near. >> rafael romo, let's see what happens. you'll stay on top of this story for us. it's a heartbreaking story, no doubt about that. thanks very, very much. there's a high-powered new business venture to create a national brand to sell

marijuana. it's the brain child of a former microsoft high executive and former mexican president vicente fox. i'll speak with both of them in just a moment. let's get background first from mary snow. mary, give us some perspective. >> wolf, simply put, the goal is to corporatize cannabicannabis. vicente fox supports legalizing marijuana, joined an ex-microsoft manager at a news conference this afternoon in seattle. he said his company acquired a chain of medical marijuana dispensaries in washington state and is close to acquiring another one in colorado. both states have legalized recreational use of marijuana, along with its use for medical purposes. chively sees this as a turning point. >> this is a unique moment in history.

the berlin wall of the prohibition of cannabis is weak. and it is crumbling as we speak. >> but there are still federal laws that make all of this illegal. one credit, mark klieman, who consulted with washington state on their marijuana laws, thinks the company has put a target on themselves. and he told us he's concerned it will set back what he calls the good work being done in washington state. wolf? >> mary, thank you. let's go to seattle right now, the former microsoft manager is joining us together with the former president of mexico, vicente fox. these are big plans, but as you know, marijuana still isn't legal in the united states on a federal level. does that set you back? what's going on? >> yeah, it's definitely a constraint that holds us back, but only to a degree. because here's the thing.

the prohibition of cannabis should have gone out with the prohibition of alcohol back in the 1930s. if you simply look at the facts, cannabis is neither physically addictive, nor is it physically harmful. in any concentration. you can consume any quantity of cannabis and you're not going to kill a single cell in your brain, your liver or any other part of your body. compare that to alcohol, compare that to tobacco. it's absolutely ludicrous that this naturally occurring plant is against the law. the berlin wall is crumbling and we're in the process of dismantling it. it's one of those old obsolete walls that the federal government has the policy of not cracking down on those responsibly and legally engaged in the business of cannabis. and the proof is in the pudding, look what the federal

government's policy has been for responsible legal medical cannabis dispensaries and grow operations. the ones who the federal government are going after are the true criminals. the ones who are either laundering money, evating taxes, or selling cannabis too close to schools. so for us and the businesses we're forming partnerships with and the ones we're acquiring, there is very little risk. >> you know there's a huge potential business opportunity out there, if marijuana were to become legal. but president fox, in mexico, it's not legal either. where does mexico fit into this? >> well, first of all, wolf, let me make very clear that i'm not partnering on this business venture. i'm not associated with the plan at all in business terms. the reason for me to be here is precisely for what we are seeing happening in mexico.

just today, this lady, i don't know if she's to blame or not. but those cases would be totally avoided if we proceed to legalize the use of marijuana. so i came here to a story day, to witness, to evaluate, to support the process of moving towards legalization, and at the same time, bringing back the peace and harmony that we badly need in mexico. >> mr. president, let me ask you about that. we know what the status of marijuana is in the united states. some states have now gone ahead and legalized it. but what about mexico? is there any serious effort to legalize marijuana in mexico? >> well, in mexico, consumption is not penalized. only distribution, production, selling. but consumption is not penalized

in mexico. consumption in mexico is really low. the problem with mexico is in between the mammoth consumer market in the united states and the drug-producing nations of the south, like colombia, venezuela and others. so my position has been totally in favor of moving to legalization. with this, we will avoid the violence. we will control the criminals and reduce their income. and at the same time it will become a transparent, accountable business in the hands of businessmen like jamie sitting here by my side. how can i really make the change is by my sitting here on the side of a businessman that is now going to participate in the process, distribution, selling of marijuana, or cannabis.

which criminals have been out of drug the most terrible situation for mexico. >> quickly, jamen, what's your next step? >> so, our next steps, we're going to continue forming strategic alliances and making strategic acquisitions across the states where medical cannabis is currently legal. there is a giant opportunity for us to consolidate our number one national brand leadership position in this industry. and at the same time, promote the responsible, legal leadership in the cannabis industry in the united states. so we've got a tremendous amount of work to do in the next several months. >> all right. let me go back to the president, the former president of mexico, vicente fox. your quick thought on this arizona mother now in mexico charged with drug smuggling. they accuse her of having 10 or 12 pounds of marijuana on this bus. she totally denies it.

people are afraid, as you know, mr. president, to go to mexico right now. they're afraid they could be set up by authorities as this woman alleges she was. that could severely undermine tourism to mexico right now. >> that's one good example why drugs, specifically cannabis and marijuana should be legalized. the problem in mexico is something that is not ours. we just in between the huge consumer markets here and the production nations in the south. so what we need to do is, this nation to be coherent. this nation, united states, to make decisions like the one that has been taken in washington state, in colorado state, and in maryland. that's the way to go. and federal government, the government, president obama should pay attention to what public opinion is thinking, to

what citizens are thinking, and what citizens are voting for. and in this case they voted for legalization. now federal government, central government has to recognize what is going on, and move faster towards legalization. this will change the whole situation in mexico, as well as in the united states. >> vicente fox, clearly very passionate on this issue. so is jamen shifly. thanks so much for coming in. i'm sure this conversation will continue. a jihad magazine celebrates the boston marathon bombings. yes, celebrates those bombings. we're going to show you how al qaeda is using the attack to inspire other would-be terrorists.

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headlines again, but there's a very distur be twist. al qaeda apparently using the tragedy to encourage new attacks. ow pentagon correspondent barbara starr has more. >> this is the latest version of inspire, the magazine published by al qaeda in the arabian peninsula. and much of it, including this article, titled the inevitable is devoted to the boston marathon bombing. >> it's opportunistically trying to take advantage of this attack. >> reporter: the magazine calls the tsarnaev brothers brilliant in carrying out the attacks and an absolute success.

it says these heroic bombings have exposed many hidden short comings of the american security and intelligence system. the tsarnaev brothers are believed to have read a 2010 inspire article entitled, make a bomb in the kitchen of your mom. which detailed how to make the type of pressure cooker bombs used to carry out the attack in boston. and now boston may be leading al qaeda and yemen to offer new guidance to its followers. >> the message they're putting out to their followers is, don't join us here in yemen, stay home, launch ataktacks there. >> now, because the magazine is published online, there's very little that can be done to make it go away, to make it disappear. that's a big concern to

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today we're hearing exclusively from the distraught father of a man shot and killed by the fbi. the victim knew the boston marathon bombing

cnn's phil black spoke with the man's father. phil is joining us now from moscow. what did he say? >> wolf, the father is angry, upset, very emotional. not just about his son's death but about the circumstances surrounding him. he believes he was killed unjustly. the allegation is that his son was shot and killed after attacking an fbi agent during an interview. his father says that's no way that is possible. he has photos of his son's body which he says show seven individual gunshot wounds including one to the head. he says there is no way his son could have done anything to warrant such a violent response. take a look. >> translator: i think if five men questioned my son and were all armed and trained police officers and my son was unarmed because he didn't have a gun, he couldn't attack them or fight them, he couldn't do anything because two men could easily handle them, there were four or five of them all armed. he didn't pose any threat with

them. couldn't they shoot his leg? my son couldn't attack them. he's not crazy. i don't know how they could shoot him like that. >> reporter: he was being interviewed by the fbi because he knew the boston bombing suspect tamerlan tsarnaev. his forge said he knew him, only vaguely. they trained together or used to at the same boston gym. he says they were not close. following his death, some u.s. officials have said that before he was shot and killed, he admitted that both he and tsarnaev played a role in a previously unsolved triple murder. again, his father says there is no way that could be true that the son he knew and considered a friend could not be capable of such a crime. wolf? >> i know the fbi is taking a close look at what happened and they're investigating. phil, thanks so much for that. phil black reporting from moscow. much more coming up including jeannie moos. smoothes, lifts, defies?

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jeannie moos discovered a strange way to get your exercise. >> reporter: wild horses couldn't keep us from reporting on this new exercise routine. why exercise when you can prancercize. is it a workout or a spoof? it definitely something to behold. let's pick up the pace. >> trot. it's really hot. >> reporter: the outfit, the jewelry, the 80s style, is this real? when you prancercize, what does it make you feel like? >> it makes me feel liberated. >> reporter: this 60-year-old of florida invented prancercizeing 25 years ago. >> it didn't really start catching on until this week, i

think. >> reporter: when blogs started featuring the video she put online last year, she had already written a book and created a website. she describes prancercize as -- >> springy, rhythmic movement forward, similar to a horse's gait, ideally induced by elation. >> reporter: she's elated by the web's sudden discovery of prancercize even if much of the commentary is mocking. on huffington post, her fitness routine was put on the comedy page. the web can be harsh. >> i know it can. but, you know what? i'll take all of it. the harsh, the goof, everything because, hey, that's what getting famous sb, right? >> reporter: the lady's got horse sense. there are four modes of prancercize, most of them done wearing ankle weights. >> we're going to really cut the noose and let it loose with the prancercize gallop. >> reporter: joe anna says prancercize is great aerobic

exercise, low impact on the body and lots of fun. reminded us of an episode of "friends" in which rachael discovers running unself consciously like a goofball can feel great. >> i feel so free and so graceful! >> reporter: see, even jennifer aniston prancercizes. >> now it's your turn. >> reporter: i'm channeling my inner horse. it's exhausting. as for all that mockery, joeanna takes it instride. >> maybe my presence because i'm not a youngster and i'm not wearing, you know, the usual punk hairdo. >> reporter: she is a horse of a different color, all right. jeannie moos, cnn, new york. >> very nice. in addition to prancercizing, jo anna's website recommends a pure vegetarian diet for what she calls opt mall health. remember, you can always follow

what's going on here in "the situation room" on twitter. you can tweet me, tweet the show. erin burnett "outfront" starts right now. "outfront" next, new developments in the boston terror investigation much the man shot by police in florida, why did police open fire while trying to question him? and how terrorists are using the boston bombing to recruit for al qaeda. plus, an american woman jailed in mexico for drug smuggling has new hope. what her lawyers say a videotape showed. let's go "outfront." i'm jake tapper in for erin burnett. "outfront" tonight, new details on the fatal shooting by the fbi of a man being questioned about his relationship to boston marathon bombing suspect tamerlan tsarnaev. he